


I Wanna Be

by elenilote



Category: SHINee
Genre: Children, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:27:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26814358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elenilote/pseuds/elenilote
Summary: Minho goes on a variety show with kids and Key catches feelings as a result
Relationships: Choi Minho/Kim Kibum | Key
Comments: 6
Kudos: 43





	I Wanna Be

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cookieming99](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cookieming99/gifts).



> Title from [Key's single I Wanna Be](https://youtu.be/_E5JtAcc3cY)

Family meant different things to different people. For some it was mom, dad and 2.5 kids and to others it was four teenagers and a middle schooler. When they signed up for idol training, Key had been barely 14 and Taemin not even twelve - Jinki as the eldest had just turned sixteen and was thrust into the role of a leader. Key didn't remember quite how he came to be the one responsible for Taemin but that's just how it went - him and Jonghyun sharing the responsibility of feeding and clothing Taemin, getting him to school and training while trying to maintain some semblance of normality. 

Even when Taemin grew up to an adult himself and Key moved out of their shared dorm, he couldn't help feeling responsible - after Jonghyun was gone, he was the only one left to take care of their littlest brother. OK that was maybe exaggerating it a little bit, of course Minho and Jinki took just as much responsibility in their own way but to Key it felt personal - like this was what he was supposed to be doing. 

Sure they'd discussed kids with Minho sometimes, late at night in bed in the dark. But they had raised Taemin between them already so Key felt it was...not _wrong_ exactly but like he was asking too much of the world. So he settled in his role as surrogate parent to Taemin and watched him grow up to be a confident and happy young man. His life was as complete as he could imagine, he had a wonderful partner, an older brother he could rely on and a younger one to spoil - what else could he want? 

But then Minho had signed for yet another variety show, which he did regularly as he was very popular and usually did very well - Minho was naturally competitive and thrived in winning of any kind. This one was different though, he'd wanted to keep the exact details a surprise but as far as Key could make out, it would be more like a slice-of-life reality show than traditional variety. It was probably going to be one of those where Minho took care of a bunch of kids for a day or something - there had been a bunch of them recently with other idols. Key figured Minho would do just fine, though he didn't really have experience with very small kids so Key hoped they'd pair him up with older kids instead. The show was due to premiere tonight so Minho had extracted a promise from Key that he would watch it and let him know how it was - Minho's schedule took him out of town for the next week at least so Key was on his own. 

So here he was, sat on the sofa with a glass of wine and the dogs snoozing around him. And there his Minho was, his eyes crinkling in that adorable way when he smiled and the host introduced the concept: Uncle Minho would take care of two little boys for a day and a night. He would take care of their every need, from feeding to clothing to potty and sleep time. While of course their parents would be on stand-by if anything truly disastrous happened, as far as the children were concerned they were dependent on Uncle Minho. OK so far so typical - nothing new or special, Key thought. And then the show started. 

And Key...was spellbound. 

His boyfriend, his Minho - the goofy, funny guy who was the soul of every party and could probably make a skeleton laugh with his jokes - was...not there. In his place was Uncle Minho instead - a gentle, caring and attentive grown-up that the kids absolutely adored. He was paying attention to the kids' every word and gave serious, thoughtful answers to their questions. He picked them up and carried them in his arms if they got tired or scared in a crowd. He gave them sweets (but not too many), cheerfully played any game they wanted (but not too much or too long) and carefully bathed them and redressed the kids in their pyjamas. 

Minho let the kids climb in his lap for a bedtime story and eventually fall asleep on him. And then he ever-so-gently tucked the kids each in their own bed and kissed their little heads goodnight, whispering "sleep well, uncle will be here when you wake up - you have nothing to worry about'. 

Key had to pause the TV at this point and just...take a moment. He'd literally never seen this side of Minho. Not in the decade and a bit that they'd been together had he ever seen Minho so...in his element. Sure he'd been there to take care of Taemin over the years but Taem had never been a little kid and Minho had never seemed to be the paternal type. Until now that is.

Not quite sure how to process what he'd just seen, Key got up and walked to the kitchen to top up his wine glass. Minho had kept the program a secret from him, why was that? Was he nervous about Key's reaction - did he think Key wouldn't like it? No, surely Minho knew him better than that - so what was it? Had he somehow given the impression that he didn't like children or would object to them? 

_Oh no_. Minho _liked_ kids, had mentioned more than once that he felt guilty not being able to provide his dad with grandkids and Key _hadn't listened_. Some boyfriend he was! 

Obviously they couldn't have kids the 'traditional' way but then again, nothing about their relationship fit a 'traditional' mould anyway. Two guys openly together in an industry widely known for its dating ban and rejection of same-sex relationships? _Tick_. Separate houses despite a decade together? Oh yes, they knew one another well enough to understand that they each needed their own space to be able to operate as a unit. Minho proposing in the middle of a live TV interview, resulting in the highest ratings for a talk show in the country ever? The crowning moment of their careers, in Key's opinion. So words like 'traditional' and 'normal' didn't really apply them anyway. 

Was this Minho's way of hinting that he would like to build a family with Key? The kind that included children? That was...a lot to take in, Key had to admit. He'd never considered himself to be really parent material, he'd been sort of forced into the role with Taemin but to take one on voluntarily and for life? Scary. Minho on the other hand...Minho clearly loved being an uncle (even for just a day), how could Key not give him everything he'd ever dream of? 

"Baby, you were amazing. That was the cutest fucking thing I've ever seen in my life and I will totally show my appreciation in person as soon as you get home," Key typed up a message to Minho, knowing he'd be waiting by his phone. After a moment's thought, he added, "and if that was you asking if I'd like to have that one day, the answer is YES you doofus. Of course. We'll have kids and you'll spoil them with ice cream and I'll be the horrible parent making them eat their broccoli at dinner. Next time you want something, just tell me instead to save me the headache of working it out on my own!"

Minho's reply was simply a string of heart emojis, making Key roll his eyes - stupid lovable idiot wouldn't even use his words like normal people.

"I'll be home on Sunday, we'll talk proper then OK?" Minho finally sent a proper reply. 

Key took a picture of the pups entangled on the sofa sleeping away and posted in on his Instagram with the caption " _These guys will be the best big brothers ever! Cannot wait for you guys to meet the next addition to our little family_ ," and watched in glee as the comments flooded in. Minho would just have to deal, it was his payback for springing the surprise on Key in the first place. 

But they would add to their family one day, there would be a little Minho running around the place soon enough and wouldn't that be a sight. Key couldn't wait for the day to come, to be honest. 

**Author's Note:**

> So this grew out of a tiny what-if comment on twitter and turned out to be nothing like I planned.


End file.
